Hamad International completes first phase of its Smart Airport program

Hamad International Airport (HIA) has announced the successful completion of the first phase of its Smart Airport program, which will enable home-carrier Qatar Airways to process more than 25% of its passengers using self-service check-in and bag-drop facilities.

Delivered in partnership with air transport technology developer SITA and technology integrator CCM, HIA has successfully commissioned 62 next-generation self-service check-in kiosks and 12 self-service bag-drop units, all of which have the ability to accommodate biometric upgrades in future.

The kiosks are spread across the check-in hall and enable passengers to check-in, print boarding passes and tag their bags, before proceeding to border control. A mobile Automated Visa Document Check, which is the first of its kind in any major airport worldwide, has also been implemented which enables ground services agents to check a passenger’s visa documentation remotely.

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive, Qatar Airways, said, “Initiatives like the Smart Airport program put the passenger at the heart of the airport’s strategy, helping make it one of the most technologically advanced and operationally efficient airports in the world.”

Although currently exclusive to Qatar Airways passengers, the plan is to extend the self-service technologies to other airlines in future. It is estimated that the kiosks will help the airline process travelers up to 40% faster, helping to improve the passenger experience without the investment required for the physical expansion of check-in facilities.

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Dan joined Passenger Terminal World in 2014 having spent the early years of his career in the recruitment industry. As assistant editor, he now produces daily content for the website and supports the editors with the publication of each exciting new issue. When he’s not reporting on the latest aviation news, Dan can be found apprehensively planning his next DIY project.